What Now?
by brooke-ella1990
Summary: How does Harry live after his love has been killed? different pairings. lots of sappy themes, love marriage, having a baby. etc. :
1. Prologue

Harry saw a head of bright red hair, his heart leaped. It was her! She was here!

He heard an unfamiliar voice yell "Gracie!" The red head turned and broke into a gap toothed smile, as she waited for her friend.

Disappointment bloomed in his stomach like weeds.

Was it silly to have wished for her?

"No." he shrugged. "It wasn't" he had loved her, he wished he had said goodbye.

He was tired, run ragged from today's various emotions.

Harry didn't want to apparate tonight, for all his moods he would have ended up in Antarctica. If he had been in Antarctica until he calmed down he wouldn't been able to conjure warm clothing. His magic didn't work properly when he had too much on his mind.

He unlocked the door to his flat. The emptiness of the flat made him sad.

The walls were white, stark white. A single portrait hung on the wall. It was in black and white, unlike most wizard photos this was still. He gazed upon the face he loved. The portrait pausing a moment before the battle.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Harry, is something wrong?" Hermione Granger asked tentatively, tucking a strand of her brown hair behind her ear. Her brown eyes large and worried.

"I saw her again." Harry told Hermione.

"Oh, Harry." Hermione sighed. She sipped her tea, Hermione didn't know what else to say. She carefully held his hand, as though expecting him to pull away. At the sound of approaching footsteps, Hermione released Harry's hand as though she had been electrocuted. But it was only George Weasley, Hermione's fiancé.

Even though Hermione had been seeing George for two years. He never quite got used to the pairing.

Since their 7th year, Harry recognized the chemistry between George's brother, his best friend, Ron Weasley and Hermione. But after the battle. The romantic relationship crumbled, leaving a slightly awkward friendship. They were still friends yes, but never quite as close as they all had been at Hogwarts.

Then, suddenly a few months ago. Ron and Luna (formerly "Loony") Lovegood announced they were having a baby. They had been married since after the final battle. After the healer's at St. Mungo's almost couldn't have revived her. Luna had miraculously recovered. But she was different from her old Hogwarts self. Her long dirty blonde hair became a hassle. She produced a hair-cutting spell that had created a stylish bob. Her sprouting of random and gibberish theories of her father's as facts was gone. Luna had even taken over _The Quibbler _and turned it into a respectable news magazine. _The Daily Prophet_ having gone under several years before for unknown reasons.

"Hermione, Harry" George said "Luna's had the baby! We're all going to St. Mungo's."

"Really!" Hermione said, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. (she had a perfect smile. After all, her Muggle parents were dentists.)

"Let's go."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

They were gathered around Luna's bed. She held a baby swaddled in pink. A girl. Ron and Luna had named the baby Lucy Maryann Lovegood Weasley.

As Ron's best friend, he had asked Harry to be Lucy's godfather.

Harry tried to decline, saying he didn't want to have this responsibility. But Luna handed her daughter over to harry and smiled as Harry softened. Lucy's blue eyes, remarkably similar to Luna's, stared up at Harry, then they shifted closed as the baby fell asleep.

Harry couldn't decline after that.

Harry Potter was Lucy Weasley's Godfather.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Four years ago, Harry had been 20, she a year younger at 19. They had had a on-again-off-again relationship since their first kiss after the Quidditch House Cup in Harry's 6th year. He had been banned from the fame after some nasty magic thanks to a certain potions book.

But at the time of the battle they had been very much on.

A sudden argument had split them up just hours before. Harry had taken a Felix Felicis potion, brewed by Hermione. They had been on a mission to destroy Voldemort's horcruxes, they had succeeded mostly. But a lucky curse of "Avada Kedavra" while Voldemort was distracted. That had been a challenge, he hadn't distracted easily. He was dead. A furious death eater, had aimed to kill Harry. But who was having Felix Felicis on his side, ducked in time. The killing curse missing him by centimeters. Instead hitting her in the chest.

She uttered "Harry!" with a single breath. She had keeled over. Dead. Harry's true love, was dead. Killed by a Death Eater.

Ginny Weasley, beloved only sister to six brothers, the only daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley. She was dead.

A/N: to anybody who's reading- sorry for my REALLY short chapters, they look so much longer on my original document. i swear longer ones are coming.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Harry returned to his flat with a large amount of pictures of him and Lucy clasped in his right hand as he unlocked the door with his wand. And the typical charm of alohomora.

The photos in his hand were wizard photos where the people in the frame moved. Harry remembered his first encounter with a wizard photo, on the train to Hogwarts, a long time ago. A chocolate frog card, with the wizened Dumbledore on it. It had been a long time since he had eaten a chocolate frog. They had been Ginny's favorite treat. Harry had forgotten that. Thinking of Ginny brought his attention to the photo on his wall. A picture taken with a Muggle camera, since Hermione's parents were Muggles she liked to experiment with muggle photography. A moment frozen. At Hermione's 20th birthday party. A tender moment as Harry had leaned over to Ginny and kissed her cheek/

Even in the black and white photo. Ginny's eyes sparkled with delight. Her lips parted in a laugh. That sweet laugh. How Harry missed its singing tone. Ginny's hand was in the air waiting for his head to return where it had been so she plunge his face into Hermione's cake.

He smiled at the memory.

A few days later everyone was invited to a "Welcome Home, Lucy" party. Everybody the Weasleys had ever associated with, except for the dead were there.

Hermione floated around on George's arm. She could be seen flaunting her engagement ring to all her old Hogwarts peers.

Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan were standing together reminiscing about the years at Hogwarts.

Harry noted that in the group of four, Dean Thomas held Parvati's hand. Lavender and Seamus were standing closely together in a way that obviously said they were together and very happy. Even from his slight distance from the group, Harry could see Parvati's eyes look over in the direction of a flustered teenage nanny. And a small child. Always flickering back and forth between the nanny and child and whichever one of her friends was speaking.

The four disbanded once after a while and Parvati walked up to Harry. Though rather slowly because the small child had wrapped her arms around Parvati's leg.

"Hello Harry." She said.

"Hey Parvati." Harry responded "You look good." And she did. Her dark hair was cut to a bob around her chin. But the style worked on her. Harry thought.

"This is my daughter, Kashmira." Parvati said pulling the arms of the child off of her leg. And held Kashmira up so she could meet Harry.

Kashmira rested her head on her mother's shoulder. She was tired. Harry could see the similarities between mother and daughter, their eyes, brown and shaped like almonds. With the same warmth and energy. Though somewhat muted in Kashmira's tired little face. Kashi's hair was braided in two, and tied with pink ribbons. Matching her flowery sundress.

Parvati and Harry talked for a long time. Until it was impossible to ignore that fact that Kashmira was tired and getting cranky about not being at their home. Harry and Parvati exchanged addresses.

She lived in London, worked for the ministry on an International level. The pay was good. The nanny was a live-in. So Kashmira, the nanny and Parvati left. Leaving Harry in a reasonably good mood. Hermione hurried over to Harry.

"Harry, what happened to you?" she asked "I haven't seen you this happy in a long time"

"I don't know." Harry was startled to realize he had a large grin plastered on his face and couldn't seem to change his expression.

Ron and Luna were busy. They were busy unwrapping presents and watching people fawn over the newest Weasley. But the highlight of the evening was when Mrs. Weasley held her new granddaughter for the first time. This was not her first. Bill and Fleur had had four children. Two were towheaded like their mother. The other two were vibrantly freckled and had flaming red hair like all the rest of the Weasleys.

Harry was finding that Parvati was easy to get along with. They were fast friends. Harry even thought there might be a slight romantic potential to the relationship. But immediately felt guilty after thinking this because of Ginny. Ginny who had been cremated. Ginny, his love. Ginny who was dead and couldn't love. He had said he wouldn't love anymore. But now he wasn't so sure.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Four months had passed since the Welcome home party. Harry and Parvati were in contact, by means of owls and the occasional meeting over a cup of tea and scones in the Leaky Cauldron.

He found her quite the entertaining writer. She kept a good prose when she wrote. Detailing the pains of a single motherhood. Parvati explained Kashmira's father. That he was an Indian, living in Amritsar, a guy that she had been with since she had first traveled over there to work out some case for the Ministry of Magic.

Harry wrote as best he could, trying to make his letters as witty and charming as Parvati's but it seemed he couldn't. He didn't have any grand adventures to speaking of. His life suddenly seemed very dull in comparison. Mourning for Ginny and working as person in an office was basically his life. He would have never gone out if Hermione hadn't come to the flat and basically dragged him to the Leaky Cauldron or some other place.

The high point of his week would be a letter arriving by a fantastically beautiful owl. He would feed the owl a morsel of food, before it flew back. He would send Hedwig back with an reply after a day or two of struggling for the perfect composition.

Parvati always remarked on Harry's letters. Making him feel funny for trying so hard. But in a good way. Harry thought as he finished the opening of Parvati's three page letter.

She was inviting him to a birthday celebration for her daughter. There would be plenty of wizard children afoot. And she was inviting some adults to keep balance. Harry was pleased to be one of these adults.

He responded with a yes. I'd love to. Even though he wasn't a great fan of large amounts of children. A chance to speak to Parvati in person would be worth it.

Harry spoke with Hermione after he wrote the letter. He had appeared at Hermione's door. Intending to discuss things.

Hermione was shocked at Harry's acceptance to be a chaperone. "Harry, you hate kids!" she said.

"I know, but I like her and she's my friend."

"Suuuree" Hermione said. A slight smile appeared on her face. Her eyes lighting up with the simple movement. Silence as Hermione thought. Then as though a lightbulb had appeared over her head and flashed on, Harry was aware of the fact that Hermione had an idea. Her smile had turned devilishly happy. And Harry was suspicious of this smile. But he didn't think much of it.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Somehow Hermione had wrangled to get herself an invitation to Kashmira's little party. Harry was surprised. Also slightly annoyed at Hermione's new interfering manner. Although another larger part, didn't really mind, if it meant he could see Parvati again. Harry suddenly felt shameful, he shouldn't see Parvati, he should say something had come up.

As though summoned, Hermione appeared at the door, freshly apparated. "Harry! You cannot cancel!" she yelled. "You haven't been happy since…" she paused, trailing off, not wanting to mention Ginny. After all she had lost her best girl friend when Ginny had died.

◊◊◊

The day of Kashmira's party arrived faster than anything Harry could remember. He had reimbursed Hermione for buying Kashmira a present for him. Because honestly, Harry was terrible at giving presents.

Ginny had always smiled widely whenever Harry tried gift-giving. Said she loved it, then secretly return it and get something better. Harry didn't mind, after all he always forgave her. It was love.

Parvati's townhouse was decorated like a regular English home. But today the home was an explosion of purples, golds and reds. Kashmira had on a pink child's sari. Parvati wore a similar outfit, in turquoise.

Kashmira was running around and various ethnic children were racing around, playing tag, probably. Harry leapt away from some sort of toy broomstick, zooming around the room. Kashmira noticed this broomstick and hopped on and was flying around the living room and kitchen.

Parvati grabbed the bristles of the toy broom and the broom sunk down wards, sending Kashmira into her mother's arms. The daughter grinned and when Parvati placed her back on the floor she resumed the game of tag.

The adults looked amused. A couple of them had a bottle of firewhiskey, and were continually sipping. Harry wondered if they should have been drinking at a children's party. The doorbell rang and Hermione appeared inside. The loud cracking noise associated with apparition, came about a second delayed, and everyone winced as the crack went off.

"Hello, Hermione!" Parvati said, looking a bit startled that she had arrived. Hermione and Parvati hadn't been the closest friends at Hogwarts, since Hermione and Lavender were always at odds. If it hadn't been a difference in pet beliefs (3rd year) or Ron Weasley (6th year).

Hermione quickly scoped the room and didn't see Lavender anywhere and her mood brightened considerably from her already happy mood. It was a good party, although Harry didn't get much time to speak with Parvati because she was busy being the hostess. But, unconsciously, his eyes were darting over towards Parvati's direction, and Hermione noticed.

◊◊◊

Hermione also noticed that when Harry was talking to Kashmira because she kept insisting that Harry sit next to her, Parvati looked over at Harry with certain eyes, eyes that Hermione had seen Ginny use, the eyes got Harry every time.

But Harry, she noticed, was studiously avoiding eye contact. She wondered what that was about. She figured that Harry was afraid of commitment with Parvati, if he was still in love with Ginny. (She had a muggle aunt who was a therapist. They talked frequently so Hermione knew a fair amount about therapy and the human psyche )

Hey, Hermione hadn't been the smartest girl in her year at Hogwarts for nothing!

◊◊◊


End file.
